Light of Arad: Forerunner

Chapter 37

Sharan couldn’t hide her excitement.

“My goodness, what kind of technology is this? I thought having six eyes on this mask would be uncomfortable… but instead, there’s a system inside the mask that makes it easier to see outside?! Well, it makes sense that those who pursue the truth wouldn’t wear such an inconvenient mask, right, right.”

It was only natural, as she was inspecting the item that Jinseong had given her.

As the guild master of the Wizard’s Guild, she was practical and reasonable, but it was impossible to conceal her curiosity and interest in such unfamiliar objects.

“When I first heard that Jinseong was using our guild’s name, and even mine, to act on his own… honestly, I was half-skeptical.”

Even when Jinseong mentioned his ability to predict the future to some extent, Sharan believed him, but that didn’t mean she had approved of him acting freely.

Especially when he was mingling with members of the Iron Wolf Knights under the pretense of being assigned to an investigation by the Wizard’s Guild.

For such collaboration to happen, there would need to be an official request or cooperation from the Queen of the Duchy of Bell Meyer.

In the end, Jinseong had essentially forged several types of official documents, so it was only natural for Sharan to feel a mix of unease and discontent.

“Ahem, Jinseong!”

“Y-yes?”

“When someone speaks, there should be a reaction! How would you know what I’m going to say?”

“What are you going to say?”

“Exactly!”

Sharan thumped her desk and leaned toward Jinseong.

Then she proposed.

“From now on… I want you to officially become a member of our Wizard’s Guild. I would like to invite you as a direct subordinate of the guild master.”

Her eyes were filled with certainty.

As the head of the Wizard’s Guild and the principal of the Magic School, her words revealed what she truly thought of Jinseong.

“Invite me… what’s in it for me?”

“W-what do you mean, ‘what’s in it for you’?! Specifically, well, from now on, whenever you get involved in something, all you need to do is act first and report later, based on your own judgment! If you agree, I’ll provide you with an office, which will probably double as your residence, within the Wizard’s Guild. Plus, I’ll give you my personal seal to ensure that no one questions your actions. How does that sound?”

This was a declaration of absolute trust.

At least when it came to Jinseong’s abilities, there was no room for doubt anymore!

Jinseong’s eyes gleamed because he knew how reassuring this offer was.

“Alright.”

More than anything, Jinseong knew that being able to operate as an official agent of the Wizard’s Guild would free him from many restrictions in the tasks ahead.

Moreover, the fact that Sharan trusted his judgment and allowed him to act first and report later was an incredibly advantageous condition.

As soon as Jinseong gave his answer, Sharan stood up from her seat.

“Good. Then, shall we head to your new office?”

“Heh… you anticipated that I would accept, didn’t you?”

Hearing her casual remark that she had prepared everything in advance, Jinseong couldn’t help but smile.

And it was only natural.

After all, not just anyone could become the head of the Wizard’s Guild.

“A person like you would never turn down such a good offer, right?”

As he followed behind Sharan, Jinseong shook his head with a grin.

When they arrived at a small room, there was already a nameplate hanging on the door.

Jinseong should have known. Sharan was clearly capable and smart.

[Emergency Response Committee for Anomalies]

“What is this?”

But maybe being overly rational had made her lose her sense of style.

“Ah, I came up with the name. Since most of the incidents you’ve been involved in so far were related to anomalies… I thought I’d give you the authority to handle them without my prior approval by naming you the Emergency Response Committee.”

“That’s not what I’m asking! The name—”

“Isn’t it good?”

Sharan raised her chin proudly and asked again.

At that moment, Jinseong couldn’t help but lose his composure.

“Good? It’s weird! What’s with this name? ‘Emergency Response Committee for Anomalies’? It sounds like I’m rapping!”

“Rapping? What’s that—?”

“And ‘Emergency Response Committee’? That’s a term you’d use at a redevelopment site or something like that!”

“W-what do you mean by that!? I worked really hard on this! Anyway, from now on, you will act as a member of the Emergency Response Committee for Anomalies. I’ve already prepared the seal. Let’s head inside.”

“No, I hate it! Change the name!”

Despite Jinseong’s protests over the absurd name, there was no way he could win.

Soon after, Jinseong, now officially part of the “Emergency Response Committee,” and Sharan sat down in Jinseong’s small office.

* * *

“Haaah…”

As Jinseong sighed, Sharan’s eyebrows twitched.

“Do you really dislike the name that much? Sighing over it—”

“No, no. It’s not because of the name. I was just thinking about the tasks ahead.”

Of course, it wasn’t because of the “Emergency Response Committee” title that he sighed.

Sharan narrowed her eyes briefly but said nothing more.

“Hmm, tasks ahead… So, you’ve already thought about them?”

Since she had appointed him to the “Emergency Response Committee,” it was clear that she truly trusted Jinseong.

At her question, Jinseong gathered his thoughts for a moment.

‘Behemoth isn’t the end. Hilder didn’t just transfer Lotus as an Apostle.’

While everyone was focused on Behemoth, Hilder had made another move.

She had transferred another Apostle to Arad.

The 6th Apostle, Diregie, the Apostle of Black Disease.

The problem was that Diregie’s arrival would intensify tensions between nations.

‘A plague breaks out in the Kingdom of the Dark Elves, Fennes… and the Dark Elves mistake it for a human conspiracy, preparing for war with the Duchy of Bell Meyer. But it’s actually Diregie—no, a “phantom” of Diregie that caused the outbreak.’

Diregie spreads plagues and diseases, bringing destruction with his mere presence.

Even the phantom alone had enough power to plunge the Kingdom of Fennes into chaos.

But that wasn’t the only problem.

‘And there’s Spirači.’

An entity sealed deep within Mount Alfraira in the Kingdom of Fennes.

The Death Dragon Spirači had finally broken its seal and awakened.

Undead were rising, causing great turmoil due to a dragon that transcended death itself.

‘Ultimately, the direction I need to prepare for is clear. It’s clear, but…’

Jinseong knew what he had to do moving forward.

However, the reason he couldn’t muster energy wasn’t because of the immediate tasks but because he was concerned about the further “future.”

The fact that he had personally killed the Apostle Lotus.

“Huuuuu…”

As Jinseong sighed again without responding, Sharan spoke.

“Hmm, Behemoth has calmed down again… and Ophelia is running around to restore the GBL Church, so I thought things were stabilizing. But Jinseong, you don’t look happy at all—ah, sorry. I guess not everything has been pleasant.”

Sharan abruptly apologized, as if she had guessed what was on Jinseong’s mind.

Perhaps because she had also heard the news of Lenny’s death.

Jinseong lightly nodded toward her, signaling that he was fine.

Did she think his melancholy was due to Lenny’s passing?

Sharan gently patted Jinseong on the shoulder to comfort him.

“Still, cheer up. You succeeded in your revenge, didn’t you? Apostle Lotus was powerful, but the adventurers, along with Van and Aganzo, properly took him down.”

At that moment, Jinseong’s expression began to change.

He asked.

“What did you say?”

“-Huh? What, what did I say?”

“What did you just say, Sharan?”

“W-what did I say?”

Sharan’s large eyes wandered, unsure of where to look.

Fearing she might have misspoken, Sharan hesitated, while Jinseong thought.

‘…Yeah, come to think of it. I was the one who dealt the ‘final blow’ to Lotus.’

It was his concern over having been the one to kill Apostle Lotus that was bothering him.

Had Jinseong not acted as the , but instead as the ?

Had he stopped being a mere helper in this world and instead become the protagonist, the adventurer?

‘I thought I had killed Lotus. But if I think about it more carefully—’

But now, with Sharan’s words, Jinseong realized something.

Yes, he had indeed dealt the finishing blow to Lotus.

But could that alone be considered killing Lotus?

‘I only delivered the final hit! Right, so it wasn’t just me who killed him! Even in Bakal Raid, when they pick the [Ace of the Battlefield], they don’t judge it based on the final blow. In Dungeon & Fighter, what matters is—’

Isn’t it about who dealt the most accumulated damage?

‘Exactly! Besides, where were Van and Aganzo?! It wasn’t the user who killed him alone! The Lotus quest probably kicks off with Aganzo using a skill and causing havoc!’

It wasn’t just Van or Aganzo.

Numerous NPCs supported adventurers during their trials, helping them grow.

If he was perceived as one of those

figures…

As his thoughts reached that conclusion, Jinseong’s eyes regained their vigor.

This level of involvement wasn’t just acceptable now, but it meant he could engage more directly up to a certain point in the future.

“Sharan!”

“Gah! You startled me. Why are you shouting—”

Sharan, startled by Jinseong’s sudden outburst, flinched.

Before she could even say anything, Jinseong was already smiling, pointing to the mask of the GBL Church’s High Priest she was holding.

“You like that mask, don’t you? As a member of the Emergency Response Committee, I request it. Please make sure the Wizard’s Guild pays a high price for it.”

“…Talking about money out of nowhere?”

Though she was flustered, Sharan couldn’t exactly refuse his request.

It wasn’t just about the item itself.

“Hehe, I always provide useful information, don’t I? Oh, by the way, have you heard anything about a plague recently?”

“Goodness, first you ask for money, and now you’re fishing for information—are you planning to suck the guild dry as soon as you became a part of the committee?”

Sharan scoffed, but Jinseong remained confident.

He shrugged his shoulders and said.

“Not really~ It’s just that alchemy isn’t the only thing useful for curing a plague. Magic would help too. We can’t let Professor Roton take all the credit, can we?”

“Wait, why did you suddenly bring up Professor Roton—? No, hold on. Don’t tell me.”

Sharan’s expression turned serious.

And so did Jinseong’s.

“You should start researching the plague right away. For your own sake, Sharan.”

The playful atmosphere from moments ago was gone as Jinseong spoke.

Sharan’s teal eyes darted rapidly.

At that moment, Jinseong also knew for sure.

“The source of the outbreak… No, when you said ‘for your sake’… it’s in the Kingdom of Fennes. My homeland.”

Realizing how valuable it was to have the head of the Wizard’s Guild as an ally in navigating life in Arad, Sharan quickly deduced the answer through her logical reasoning.

She swiftly reached into the safe in Jinseong’s office.

“I’ll tell you how to change the password later. I was going to give this gold to you later, but I’ll hand it over now.”

“I appreciate it. I have preparations to make as well.”

The sum of money she pulled out from the safe and handed to Jinseong was a whopping 100,000 gold.

For the time being, it was a substantial amount that Jinseong could use effectively.

“Good. And if you complete this task successfully… I promise not just the authority of the committee, but unlimited material support as well.”

Sharan even promised future rewards beyond the task at hand!

As someone from the Kingdom of Fennes, the nation of the Dark Elves, it was only natural for her to be concerned about the crisis in her homeland and want to minimize the damage.

Jinseong extended his hand toward her.

“Yes. I’ll do my best.”

After exchanging promises with the head of the Wizard’s Guild and the principal of the Magic School, Jinseong left the office and took out a teleport potion.

Just as he was about to proceed with his plan, he suddenly turned back and asked Sharan.

“Oh, by the way, Sharan?”

“Yes?”

He wanted to know how far the unlimited and indiscriminate support of the Wizard’s Guild would go.

Jinseong asked.

“If it’s unlimited support… does that include Danjin, who’s right next door?”

“…What?”

“Now that I think about it, that’s a shame. Back in the day, we could’ve even rolled jars.”

Before Sharan could shake her head in disbelief, Jinseong asked again.

“Oh! Or maybe I could buy an ‘Avatar’ from Hills right next door?”

Danjin and Hills. To the “players” of Dungeon & Fighter, they were two of the most iconic NPCs.

Sharan seemed to catch on to Jinseong’s intention, looking flustered.

“Well, I do know Hills, but that shop sells things like belts for two or three million gold—”

“Exactly why I’m bringing it up. So, I’m counting on you!”

“—Jinseong! At least let me finish what I’m saying—”

─────────────!

Jinseong downed the teleport potion.

As the faint light flashed, he disappeared from the Wizard’s Guild.

“…Who’s really the guild master here, honestly…”

Sharan muttered under her breath.

* * *

Shortly after, Jinseong reappeared in the midst of a lush forest.

Clang, clang, the sound of hammering echoed rhythmically.

“Linus!”

The person Jinseong was looking for was Linus, the blacksmith NPC of Elvenguard.

The reason he sought him out was simple.

‘The 100,000 gold I have now… first, I’ll multiply it by at least ten through Linus.’

Although the support from the Wizard’s Guild was nice, in the harsh reality of Arad, Jinseong needed to stockpile a large amount of gold to survive.